SAP NEWSBYTE - SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) today announced a co-innovation project with Toyota InfoTechnology Center USA (Toyota ITC) and VeriFone (NYSE: PAY) that will help dramatically simplify drivers’ fueling experience. Currently, drivers need to deal with multiple systems to find “the right” gas stations. When they arrive, drivers must authorize payment by swiping a card and punching in various identification codes, or paying the gas station attendant with cash. With the prototype, consumers can use a one-touch, one-screen solution to navigate to the closest gas station, authorize automatic payment electronically and receive personalized coupons. The announcement was made at the 14th SAP Automotive Forum, being held July 1-2 in Leipzig, Germany.

Built on SAP HANA® Cloud Platform, the solution aggregates information on a vehicle’s location, route and fuel level as well as points of interest. VeriFone provides point-of-sale (POS) solutions and Toyota ITC provides telematics data. These processes and information are integrated via the SAP® Cloud portfolio and presented in a screen on the Toyota ITC dashboard, allowing drivers to manage the entire transaction in one click.

The use case works as follows: The driver is notified when the vehicle is low in fuel. Then, leveraging the Toyota ITC telematics system, the vehicle recommends a gas station location based on real-time context such as location and the vehicle’s fuel level. It also takes into account a driver’s pre-entered personal preferences such as preferred gas stations and which stations have opted in to the program. When the car arrives at the gas station and stops at the pump, the driver can authorize the transaction with a single click from their car or app on a mobile device. Gas stations may also provide discounts, loyalty points and other coupons based on the driver’s profile. Once fueling is completed, the driver receives an electronic receipt. Drivers can view all previous fueling transactions and easily export them to other systems, such as an expense report.

The system uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), an emerging wireless standard that enables micro-location services. By combining BLE, SAP HANA Cloud Platform, Toyota ITC telematics system and VeriFone POS systems, the three companies have developed a consumer-centered connected car service.

“Toyota ITC has been an innovative driver for Toyota Motor Corporation here in the Silicon Valley,” said Hironori Miyakoshi, executive vice president and COO, Toyota ITC. “In light of the paradigm shift in the automotive space toward a connected vehicle, we have been focused on enabling solutions and developing a better user experience by looking at a wide variety of emerging technologies and services. The collaboration with SAP and VeriFone was another major milestone in our efforts to create a better driving experience.”

“Our collaboration with SAP and Toyota creates an exciting commerce experience that transcends payment by delivering convenience, value and unique interactions between merchants and their customers,” said Vin D’Agostino, senior vice president of Commerce Enablement, VeriFone. “VeriFone has a long history of delivering secure payment technology, targeted content and more to many of the world’s leading petroleum brands, helping them leverage the latest available technologies to unlock new revenue opportunities.”

“SAP innovation continues to make connected cars closer to becoming a reality for consumers,” said Gil Perez, senior vice president, Connected Vehicles, SAP. “Our collaboration with Toyota ITC and VeriFone is transforming business models and offering people a simple and intuitive user experience. Our cloud and SAP HANA technology can help industries — like the automotive or oil and gas businesses — do things simply that weren’t previously possible or even imaginable.”

Media Contact:Robin Meyerhoff, +1 (650) 440-2572, robin.meyerhoff@sap.com, PDT
Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “predict,” “should” and “will” and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.